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IPFS News Link • Drugs and Medications

Does smoking pot cause man boobs?

• http://edition.cnn.com, By Dr. Anthony Youn
 "Dr. Youn," he says, "I have man boobs."

I notice a not-so-unfamiliar smell wafting from his body. It's the same odor that floated my way during a rock concert I recently attended.

"How long have you had a problem with this, George?"

"Hard to say. But it seems to have gotten worse over the past year or so."

"George, the first thing you need to do is stop smoking pot. Marijuana could be causing your man boobs."
 

Gynecomastia, otherwise known as man boobs (or moobs for short), is a condition that affects approximately 33% to 41% of men between the ages of 25 and 45. It's even more common during puberty, affecting 60% of 14-year-old boys. Interestingly, it also affects 55% to 60% of men aged 50 and older.

Although most cases of gynecomastia resolve spontaneously within a few months to a few years, in 2012 nearly 23,000 people underwent surgery to correct the condition. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), it was the fifth-most common cosmetic surgery in men.